The 2008–09 Los Angeles Kings season was the 42nd season (41st season of play) for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise. The Kings showed improvement while fielding the youngest team in the league (in terms of average age per player), but came up short of breaking a playoff drought that stretches back to the 2001–02 season.

Despite a tough schedule that saw them play 17 of their final 24 games away from the Staples Center, the Kings managed to stay in the playoff hunt for much of the year. They played in 43 games decided by one goal, and their record in these games was 20–12–11.

Alexander Frolov led the team in goals with 32, his fifth-consecutive season with at least 20 or more goals. The last King to post five consecutive season with over 20 goals was Luc Robitaille in the 1993–94 season. Moreover, defenseman Sean O'Donnell reached a milestone by playing in his 1,000th career NHL game on March 14.

Pre-season On June 10, the Kings fired Head Coach Marc Crawford after failing to make the post-season in back-to-back seasons. Crawford posted a 59–84–21 record during his tenure. He was replaced on July 17 by Terry Murray, who takes over his fourth NHL team. Murray had previously coached the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and Philadelphia Flyers, where he led the latter to the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals. Entering the season, Murray's career record is 360–288–89.

2008 Pre-season Game Log: 3–2–3 (Home: 2–1–2; Road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 22 St. Louis 1–2 Los Angeles ? ? 1–0–0 2 September 22 Phoenix 4–6 Los Angeles Taylor 8,221 2–0–0 3 September 24 Los Angeles 4–3 Colorado SO Quick ? 3–0–0 4 September 27 Colorado 4–3 Los Angeles SO ? ? 3–0–1 5 September 30 Anaheim 2–1 Los Angeles SO LaBarbera 11,904 3–0–2 6 October 1 Los Angeles 2–3 Anaheim OT Ersberg 16,410 3–0–3 7 October 4 Los Angeles 2–5 Phoenix Quick 8,621 3–1–3 8 October 5 San Jose 3–1 Los Angeles ? ? 3–2–3

Regular season The Kings made great strides in the 2008–09 season. They went from 30th in the NHL a year prior in penalty killing to seventh-best in the league, with an 82.9% rating. They had the League's fourth-best faceoff win percentage and allowed the fourth-fewest shots on goal. Five players played in all 82 regular games: Anze Kopitar, Michal Handzus, Matt Greene, Sean O'Donnell and rookie Wayne Simmonds. Several surprises also emerged during the season.

Kyle Quincey was acquired via waivers shortly after season started from the Detroit Red Wings, necessitated by an injury to defenseman Jack Johnson. Quincey went on to finish second in the team in assists and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game. Drew Doughty, the second overall pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft, immediately contributed to the team, leading the Kings in ice time and was second in blocked shots. He finished in the top ten in the NHL in several categories, and was considered a strong Calder Memorial Trophy candidate for Rookie of the Year honors.

Another surprise was Jonathan Quick, who emerged as the team's number one goaltender. Quick was thrust into the line-up following the trade of Jason LaBarbera in mid-season to the Vancouver Canucks and due to an injury to Erik Ersberg. All Quick lead the team in every goaltending category, posting the third highest win total for a rookie in Kings history. He finished third in the league among rookie netminder in goals against average, and played in 22 of the final 27 and 41 of the final 52 Kings games He had a 1.76 goals-against average (16 GA in 546:03) and .942 save percentage (258 saves in 274 shots) in nine straight appearances from March 22 to April 9.

The Kings finished the regular season having been shut out 12 times, tying the Colorado Avalanche for the most times shut out.

The Western Conference remained a tight race throughout the season, and the Kings were not officially eliminated from the playoffs until two weeks remained in the season.

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results 2008–09 Game Log October: 3–5–1 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 11 Los Angeles 1–3 San Jose LaBarbera 17,496 0–1–0 0 2 October 12 San Jose 1–0 Los Angeles LaBarbera 18,118 0–2–0 0 3 October 14 Anaheim 3–6 Los Angeles LaBarbera 14,451 1–2–0 2 4 October 17 Carolina 3–4 Los Angeles OT LaBarbera 14,194 2–2–0 4 5 October 20 Colorado 4–3 Los Angeles LaBarbera 13,891 2–3–0 4 6 October 24 Los Angeles 4–0 St. Louis LaBarbera 19,150 3–3–0 6 7 October 25 Los Angeles 4–5 Nashville Ersberg 14,704 3–4–0 6 8 October 27 Detroit 4–3 Los Angeles SO LaBarbera 17,671 3–4–1 7 9 October 30 Vancouver 4–0 Los Angeles LaBarbera 13,652 3–5–1 7 November: 7–4–2 (Home: 5–2–2; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Calgary 3–2 Los Angeles LaBarbera 16,279 3–6–1 7 Recaps 11 November 4 Anaheim 1–0 Los Angeles OT Ersberg 14,327 3–6–2 8 12 November 6 Florida 2–3 Los Angeles Ersberg 11,267 4–6–2 10 13 November 8 St. Louis 3–5 Los Angeles Ersberg 17,182 5–6–2 12 14 November 11 Dallas 2–3 Los Angeles SO Ersberg 13,823 6–6–2 14 15 November 13 Los Angeles 3–2 Dallas Ersberg 17,675 7–6–2 16 16 November 15 Nashville 3–1 Los Angeles Ersberg 14,135 7–7–2 16 17 November 16 Los Angeles 0–2 Anaheim Ersberg 17,174 7–8–2 16 18 November 20 Washington 2–5 Los Angeles Ersberg 17,428 8–8–2 18 19 November 22 Colorado 4–3 Los Angeles SO Ersberg 18,118 8–8–3 19 20 November 25 Los Angeles 2–6 Calgary Ersberg 19,289 8–9–3 19 21 November 26 Los Angeles 2–1 Edmonton LaBarbera 16,839 9–9–3 21 22 November 29 Chicago 2–5 Los Angeles Ersberg 16,147 10–9–3 23 December: 5–7–3 (Home: 3–3–3; Road: 2–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 23 December 1 Toronto 3–1 Los Angeles LaBarbera 15,052 10–10–3 23 24 December 2 Los Angeles 2–4 Phoenix Ersberg 11,473 10–11–3 23 25 December 5 Edmonton 5–4 Los Angeles SO LaBarbera 14,920 10–11–4 24 26 December 6 Columbus 0–3 Los Angeles LaBarbera 15,235 11–11–4 26 27 December 9 Los Angeles 1–6 Colorado LaBarbera 14,122 11–12–4 26 28 December 11 St. Louis 2–6 Los Angeles Ersberg 13,851 12–12–4 28 29 December 13 Minnesota 1–3 Los Angeles Ersberg 14,857 13–12–4 30 30 December 15 San Jose 3–2 Los Angeles SO LaBarbera 16,005 13–12–5 31 31 December 17 NY Rangers 3–2 Los Angeles OT LaBarbera 17,166 13–12–6 32 32 December 19 Los Angeles 0–5 Buffalo LaBarbera 18,147 13–13–6 32 33 December 20 Los Angeles 4–6 Detroit Quick 19,784 13–14–6 32 34 December 23 Los Angeles 3–0 Columbus Quick 15,145 14–14–6 34 35 December 26 Phoenix 2–1 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 14–15–6 34 36 December 27 Los Angeles 4–0 Phoenix Quick 16,199 15–15–6 36 37 December 29 Columbus 2–0 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 15–16–6 36 January: 5–5–1 (Home: 3–3–0; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 January 3 Philadelphia 1–2 Los Angeles SO Quick 18,118 16–16–6 38 39 January 6 Los Angeles 1–3 Anaheim Ersberg 17,174 16–17–6 38 40 January 8 Anaheim 3–4 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 17–17–6 40 41 January 10 New Jersey 5–1 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 17–18–6 40 42 January 12 Tampa Bay 3–1 Los Angeles Ersberg 16,511 17–19–6 40 43 January 15 Detroit 4–0 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 17–20–6 40 44 January 17 Los Angeles 2–3 Dallas SO Ersberg 18,532 17–20–7 41 45 January 20 Los Angeles 5–2 Minnesota Quick 18,568 18–20–7 43 46 January 21 Los Angeles 6–5 Colorado Quick 13,289 19–20–7 45 47 January 29 Chicago 2–5 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 20–20–7 47 48 January 31 Los Angeles 3–4 Montreal Quick 21,273 20–21–7 47 February: 6–5–2 (Home: 0–2–2; Road: 6–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 February 3 Los Angeles 1–0 Ottawa Quick 18,054 21–21–7 49 50 February 5 Los Angeles 5–4 Washington Quick 18,277 22–21–7 51 51 February 7 Los Angeles 3–1 New Jersey Quick 17,056 23–21–7 53 52 February 10 Los Angeles 4–3 NY Islanders SO Quick 12,330 24–21–7 55 53 February 12 Calgary 2–0 Los Angeles Quick 17,286 24–22–7 55 54 February 14 Edmonton 3–2 Los Angeles SO Quick 18,118 24–22–8 56 55 February 16 Atlanta 7–6 Los Angeles SO Ersberg 18,118 24–22–9 57 56 February 18 Los Angeles 4–3 Anaheim Quick 17,089 25–22–9 59 57 February 19 Los Angeles 2–4 San Jose Ersberg 17,496 25–23–9 59 58 February 21 Phoenix 6–3 Los Angeles Quick 17,177 25–24–9 59 59 February 24 Los Angeles 2–1 Minnesota SO Quick 18,568 26–24–9 61 60 February 25 Los Angeles 0–2 Philadelphia Ersberg 19,568 26–25–9 61 61 February 27 Los Angeles 1–2 Detroit Quick 20,066 26–26–9 61 March: 5–8–2 (Home: 3–2–0; Road: 2–6–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 1 Los Angeles 2–4 Chicago Quick 21,386 26–27–9 61 63 March 3 Los Angeles 4–5 Columbus Quick 15,049 26–28–9 61 64 March 5 Dallas 4–5 Los Angeles OT Quick 17,430 27–28–9 63 65 March 7 Minnesota 3–4 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 28–28–9 65 66 March 9 Vancouver 2–3 Los Angeles Quick 16,995 29–28–9 67 67 March 13 Los Angeles 2–4 Vancouver Quick 18,630 29–29–9 67 68 March 14 Los Angeles 1–2 San Jose SO Ersberg 17,496 29–29–10 68 69 March 16 Nashville 4–3 Los Angeles Ersberg 17,810 29–30–10 68 70 March 19 Los Angeles 3–2 Boston OT Quick 17,565 30–30–10 70 71 March 20 Los Angeles 1–4 Pittsburgh Quick 17,132 30–31–10 70 72 March 22 Los Angeles 1–4 Chicago Quick 21,629 30–32–10 70 73 March 24 Los Angeles 0–2 St. Louis Quick 19,150 30–33–10 70 74 March 26 Los Angeles 1–0 Dallas SO Quick 16,908 31–33–10 72 75 March 28 Los Angeles 3–4 Nashville OT Quick 17,113 31–33–11 73 76 March 31 Dallas 3–2 Los Angeles Quick 17,648 31–34–11 73 April: 3–3–0 (Home: 2–0–0; Road: 1–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 77 April 2 Los Angeles 1–2 Phoenix Quick 13,117 31–35–11 73 78 April 4 Phoenix 1–6 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 32–35–11 75 79 April 6 Los Angeles 1–4 Calgary Ersberg 19,289 32–36–11 75 80 April 7 Los Angeles 2–1 Edmonton Quick 16,839 33–36–11 77 81 April 9 Los Angeles 0–1 Vancouver Quick 18,630 33–37–11 77 82 April 11 San Jose 3–4 Los Angeles Quick 18,118 34–37–11 79 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular season Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM 82 27 39 66 −17 32 77 32 27 59 −6 30 80 24 29 53 −15 64 82 18 24 42 −7 32 74 18 23 41 −7 68 72 4 34 38 −5 63 ‡ 62 14 23 37 +1 16 74 8 19 27 −1 41 81 6 21 27 −17 56 82 9 14 23 −8 73 40 4 12 16 −4 4 40 7 8 15 −3 16 82 2 12 14 +1 111 82 0 12 12 +2 71 69 4 8 12 −13 28 41 6 5 11 −18 46 56 5 4 9 −11 63 22 3 4 7 −7 6 31 0 5 5 −6 11 28 4 1 5 −9 42 65 2 2 4 −11 90 † 12 1 3 4 +1 8 6 1 2 3 0 0 17 0 3 3 +1 18 76 2 0 2 −8 145 7 1 0 1 −4 2 27 0 1 1 −2 42 9 0 0 0 +1 9

Goaltenders

Regular season Player GP Min W L OT GA GAA SA SV Sv% SO 44 2494 21 18 2 103 2.48 1200 1097 .914 4 28 1477 8 11 5 65 2.64 651 586 .900 0 ‡ 19 995 8 10 6 47 2.83 439 392 .893 2

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Kings. Stats reflect time with the Kings only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and records

Records

Milestones